Oshkosh Defense has received the first production order for the 657 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) vehicles. The order, issued by the U.S. Army is valued $243 million. It also includes 2,977 installed kits and related support. The order will serve both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The JLTV production contract calls for Oshkosh to deliver a total of nearly 17,000 vehicles, as well as kits and services over an eight-year period with first vehicle delivery in October 2016.
The base L-ATV does not have a standard armament, however it can be fitted with a selection of weapons including light, medium, and heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, or anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) depending on user requirements. The weapons can be operated from ring mounts or a remote weapon station. Smoke grenade launchers for self-defense can also be fitted if required.
During the L-ATV design process, every component was optimized for survivability, resulting in the same level of protection in a vehicle 30 percent smaller. This resulted in a curb weight for the JLTV requirement of 14,000 lb (6,400 kg), almost one-third the weight of the heavier MRAP (4×4) models, and almost half the weight of the original MRAP models. Payload allowance for the JLTV in Combat Tactical Vehicle (CTV) configuration is four passengers and 3,500 lb (1,600 kg) of cargo, and in Combat Support Vehicle (CSV) configuration is two passengers and 5,100 lb (2,300 kg) of cargo
Up Armored Hummers weigh about 2.6 tons
the JLTV weighs 6.4 tons
MRAPS weigh 14-18 tons
Oshkosh’s JLTV will deliver a level of protection similar to that of current, but far heavier and less maneuverable, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) class designs these having far more protection from blast than even the latest up-armored HMMWVs. The cost is similar to up armored hummers.
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